Cellular stress response biomarkers for toxicity potential assessment of treated wastewater complex mixtures

Abstract

Biomarker responses provide an early warning on environmental effects of water toxicants. The current work aimed to assess the stress biomarkers responses to toxicity potential of treated wastewater effluents in human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells. Overall results of stress response genes overexpression confirmed the occurrence of water pollutants stressors which stimulate the modulation of biomarkers of effect mainly Heat shock proteins (Hsps), Metal-responsive transcription factors, Calreticulin, Thioredoxin and P-glycoprotein. Stress response genes were significantly overexpressed for all treated cells, revealing the activation of mechanisms of Caco-2 cell protection mainly Hsp protection machinery and cellular defence against oxidative stress. Organic micropollutants associated with toxicity potential in treated effluents were identified. Stress response biomarkers assessment revealed human health and environmental impacts to take corrective measures to protect recipient water bodies from harmful effects of effluent discharges.

The truncate soft-shell clam, Mya truncata, as a biomonitor of municipal wastewater exposure and historical anthropogenic impacts in the Canadian Arctic

“…Therefore, phase III transporters like the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins and the multidrug resistance proteins (MDRP) are often used as biomarkers of exposure to xenobiotics (Lüdeking and Köhler 2002;Bonnafé et al 2015). Changes in the expression patterns of these mRNA transcripts can be a result of a physiological response to an environmental stressor and subsequently, can provide a relative measure of contamination from the WWTP and act as an early warning system against prospective environmental changes (Etteieb et al, 2019;Kültz, 2005).…”

Micropollutants removal with activated carbon : Adsorption and regeneration by biodegradation

“…Negative effects of micropollutants to human health have been demonstrated in vitro using wastewater effluent. These effects were assessed using human cells and include decreased proliferation, increased damage and apoptosis of embryonic kidney cells and overexpression of stress response genes in human intestinal epithelium (Etteieb et al, 2019;Ren et al, 2017). Human exposure to micropollutants through consumption of treated wastewater is currently not a realistic exposure route.…”